The story of my experiments with truth

The Story of My Experiments with Truth is the autobiography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, covering his life from early childhood through to 1920. It was initiated at the insistence of Swami Anand and other close co-workers of Gandhi, for him to explain the background of his public campaigns. »It is not my purpose to attempt a real autobiography. I simply want to tell the story of my numerous experiments with truth, and as my life consists of nothing but those experiments, it is true that the story will take the shape of an autobiography. »

I have no anger against them. I am only sorry for their ignorance and their narrowness. I know they sincerly believe that what they are doing today is right and proper. I have no reason therefore to be angry with them.

It has become my firm conviction that it is no good to run public institutions on permanent funds. A permanent fund carries in itself the seed of the moral fall of the institution. A plublic institution means an institution conducted with the approval, and from the funds of the public. When such an institution ceases to have public support, it forfeits its right to exist.

A vow, far from closing the door to real freedom, opens it.

Renunciation without aversion is not lasting.

It is the reformer who is anxious for the reform, and not society, from wich he should expect nothing better than opposition, abhorence and even mortal persecution.

In trying to enjoy the pleasure of sense, we lose in the end even our capacity for enjoyment.